Best Intel Processors for Gaming

Introduction
Intel Processors aren’t the first thing people think of when it comes to gaming. AMD has dominated the CPU market for over a decade, but times are changing. Intel’s newest chips, codenamed Haswell, can compete with AMD’s best CPUs in terms of performance and value. It’s time to find out the best Intel Processors for Gaming.
What is a processor and why should I care about it?
The processor, or CPU, is the brains of your computer. It’s similar to how a human brain works; it’s where all the commands and instructions are processed. It’s a good idea to think of your CPU as a human brain because it does a lot of things at the same time.
For example, there are some tasks that humans can do at the same time because it’s all one thing. Like when you’re on the phone talking to your mom while writing a letter to an old friend, or when you open up a new tab in Chrome while listening to music on Spotify. It’s really just one thing and that’s perfectly okay.
However, tasks that require a lot of focus and attention, like playing CS:GO on max settings while streaming at 1080p 60 fps, can’t be done at the same time because it requires your full attention. You basically need to split up your brain into two pieces (at least).
This is what separates an average gaming CPU from a great one; the ability to process more than one thing at once. Even though you might not know the name of the company that makes your CPU, it’s important to buy one with a high GHz. GHz is short for gigahertz, which is the speed that the CPU processes commands.
Understanding the different types of processors
Before purchasing the best Intel Processor for your gaming PC, it’s important to understand what makes one CPU different from another.
There are two types of processors:
As you can probably guess, an i3 is better for gaming because it has more cores. You can get more tasks done at the same time because it has four cores while an i5 only has two. This makes the i3 faster by default, but there are two other types of Intel Processors that are even faster.
Intel i7 processors are the fastest available on the market. They have hyperthreading, or HT for short, which allows each core to process two things at once. For example, if you’re playing CS:GO while streaming at 1080p 60 fps, your cores can run both processes instead of prioritizing one over the other. Unfortunately, most games don’t benefit from HT yet, but some do.
Things Need to Consider Before Buying Intel Processors
1. Processor Number
The number of cores is the first thing you should look at when buying an Intel Processor for Gaming . All other things equal, the more cores you have, the faster your CPU will be able to run games and perform computing tasks.
2. Hyper-Threading
You also need to consider processors that have hyper-threading (HT). Hyper-threading allows each core to handle two computing tasks at once instead of one, which results in a faster and more efficient processor.
3. Base & Boost Clock Speed
The higher the GHz, or base and boost clock speed, the faster your CPU will be able to process commands. It’s important to find the right speed for your budget, but don’t get fooled by higher clock speeds.
4. Cache Memory
The amount of Cache Memory on a CPU affects how quickly it can process commands. It’s best to buy CPUs with more cache memory because they’ll be able to run games better in the long term.
5. Chipset
The chipset tells you whether or not your CPU will be able to do certain things, like overclock. The biggest thing you need to consider is the chipset because it limits what your motherboard can do. You want a Z370 motherboard so that you’ll be able to overclock your CPU if needed. An H-series processor works with Z-series motherboards and an M-series processor works with H-series motherboards, but only if they’re built on the same architecture (each iteration of Intel chipsets are compatible with each other).
6. Socket Type
The socket type refers to the pins where your CPU makes contact with your motherboard. If you choose a “non-K” CPU, you won’t be able to overclock it.
We’ve researched all current Intel gaming processors to determine which ones are the best given their performance characteristics and price. To start your gaming build, you have to select the processor.
This article will discuss how you can save money by purchasing a cheaper CPU but still enjoy the excellent performance when playing games such as Fortnite Battle Royale at 1080p resolution – just make sure that your motherboard supports all features of the processor so that you don’t have any compatibility issues later down the line!
Best Intel Processors for Gaming
- 1. Intel Core i9-11900K
- 2. Intel Core i7-11700K
- 3. Intel Core i5-11600K
- 4. Intel Core i7 10700K
- 5. Intel Core i9 10900K
- 6. Intel Core i5-10600K
- 7. Intel Core i7 9700K
- 8. Intel Core i9 9900K
The Best Intel Processors You Can Purchase Today
Intel Core i9-11900K

Best Premium Intel Processor for Gaming
Specifications
Architecture: Rocket Lake – Socket: Intel LGA1200 – Cores/Threads: 8/16 – Base Frequency: 3.5 GHz – Top Boost Frequency: 5.3 GHz – TDP: 125W
Intel processor Intel Core i9-11900K is the number one best Intel Processor for gaming due to its high core and boost multi. It is ideal for gamers who want to play games such as Fortnite Battle Royale, Apex Legends at 1080p resolution.
It is an 8 core 16 thread processor with a base clock of 3.5 GHz and top boost speed of 5.3 GHz. It has a TDP of 125 watts which is very low considering its high multi-core performance, so it can be easily cooled by even the cheapest liquid cooling system available in the market.
It comes with UHD graphics 630, so you can play light games in HD resolution. It supports up to 64GB of DDR4 memory at a maximum frequency of 2666 MHz, which is good for multitasking with ease when combined with 16 threads.
It has an amazing 40 PCI express lanes for data transfer between CPU and graphic card. It comes with 9MB L3 cache for up to 14% faster performance.
It comes with the 8th generation I series Intel processor which uses 6-core design instead of 4 or 6 core found in Z370 chipset based motherboards. This is an advantage because this CPU can be plugged into cheaper B-series boards and operate at full speed. It has a turbo boost of 5.3 GHz which is very close to the top speed for this CPU, so you are guaranteed an amazing gaming experience.
- Fastest single-core performer
- 100+ fps for all Esports games
- 14nm based market availability
- No bundled cooler
- High power consumption
Intel Core i7 10700K

Best Intel Processor for Gaming
Specifications
Architecture: Coffee Lake – Socket: LGA1151 – Cores/Threads: 6/12 – Base Frequency: 3.7 GHz – Top Boost Frequency: 4.5 GHz – TDP: 95W
Fastest 6-core gaming processor in the market. Intel Core i7 10700K is the number two best Intel Processor for gaming due to its high core and boost multi. It is ideal for gamers who want to play games such as Fortnite Battle Royale, Apex Legends at 1080p resolution.
It has an architecture based on Coffee Lake and has 6 cores 12 threads which make it the fastest 6-core processor available in the market currently. It comes with a base clock speed of 3.7 GHz and top boost speed of 4.5 GHz with TDP of 95 watts. It has an L3 cache of 12MB and a TDP of 95 watts which can be easily cooled by cheaper aftermarket coolers available in the market such as Cooler Master Hyper 212X.
It comes with UHD graphics 630, so you can play light games in HD resolution. It supports up to 64GB of DDR4 memory at a maximum frequency of 2666 MHz, which is good for multi-tasking when combined with 6 cores.
Gamers are more likely to opt for a 32-inch display, which keeps everything within the visibility cone; this makes 1080p resolution ideal. You must also ensure that you don’t go for a monitor with poor response time or refresh rate, as this can cause ghosting and smearing.
This processor comes with unlocked K series which means you can adjust it upto 5.3 GHz for fast performance in games without overclocking the system. It comes with HD audio support, Intel software guard extensions which can help you protect your system.
- Intel Iris Xe (iGPU)
- PCIe Gen 4.0 compliant
- Intel Optane memory support
- No 100+fps on iGPU
- Requires a high-end cooler
Intel Core i5-11600K

Best Budget-Friendly Intel Processor for Gaming
Specifications
Architecture: Coffee Lake – Socket: LGA1151 – Cores/Threads: 6/6 – Base Frequency: 3.7 GHz – Top Boost Frequency: 4.7 GHz – TDP : 95W
Best i5 processor on best intel processors for gaming list. Intel Core i5 11600K is the number one best Intel Processor for gaming due to its high core and boost multi. It is ideal for gamers who want to play games such as Fortnite Battle Royale, Apex Legends at 1080p resolution.
It has an architecture based on Coffee Lake and has 6 cores with 6 threads which make it the fastest CPU available in the market currently. It comes with a base clock speed of 3.7 GHz and top boost speed of 4.7 GHz with TDP of 95 watts. It has an L3 cache of 9MB and a TDP of 95 watts which can be easily cooled by cheaper aftermarket coolers available in the market such as Cooler Master Hyper 212X.
It comes with UHD graphics 630, so you can play light games in HD resolution. It supports up to 64GB of DDR4 memory at a maximum frequency of 2666 MHz, which is good for multitasking when combined with 6 cores.
Gamers are more likely to opt for a 32-inch display, which keeps everything within the visibility cone; this makes 1080p resolution ideal. You must also ensure that you don’t go for a monitor with poor response time or refresh rate, as this can cause ghosting and smearing.
This processor comes with an unlocked K series which means you can adjust it upto 5.3 GHz for fast performance in games without overclocking the system. It comes with HD audio support, Intel software guard extensions which can help you protect your system.
- 128 GB memory support
- Full supports top RTX 3000 GPU
- 19% IPC increase over 10th Gen
- No ECC RAM support
- Thicker lithography than similar CPUs
Intel Core i7 10700K

Best Fastest Intel Processor for Gaming
Specifications
Architecture: Ice Lake – Socket: Intel LGA1200 – Cores/Threads: 8/16 – Base Frequency: 3.8 GHz – Top Boost Frequency: 5.1 GHz – TDP: 125W
Intel Core i7 10700K is the best Intel Processor for gaming due to its high core and boost multi. It is ideal for gamers who want to play games such as Fortnite Battle Royale, Apex Legends at 1080p resolution or want to play games in 4k or VR.
Intel Core i7 10700K is the best Intel Processor for gaming due to its high core and boost multi. It is ideal for gamers who want to play games such as Fortnite Battle Royale, Apex Legends at 1080p resolution or want to play games in 4k or VR.
Intel Core i7 10700K has an architecture based on Coffee Lake with 6 cores and 12 threads which makes it the fastest CPU available in the market currently. It comes with a base clock speed of 3.7 GHz and top boost speed of 4.5 GHz with TDP of 95 watts.
It has an L3 cache of 12MB and a TDP of 95 watts which can be easily cooled by cheaper aftermarket coolers available in the market such as Cooler Master Hyper 212X.
This processor comes with an unlocked K series which means you can adjust it up to 5.3 GHz for fast performance in games or other tasks without overclocking the system. It comes with HD audio support, Intel software guard extensions which can help you protect your system.
It comes with 128 GB memory support and supports top RTX 3000 GPU. It has a 19% IPC increase over 10th Gen which is ideal for gamers who like to game in ultra-settings at 1080p or 4k resolution.
- 5.0+GHz boost frequency
- Three displays simultaneously
- Supremacy in frame drop stability
- No PCIe 4.0 support
- No Thermal Velocity Boost
Intel Core i9 10900K

Best Flagship Intel Processor for Gaming
Specifications
Architecture: Ice Lake – Socket: Intel LGA1151 – Cores/Threads: 8/16 – Base Frequency: 3.6 GHz – Top Boost Frequency: 4.7 GHz – TDP: 95W
Intel Core i9 10900K is the best Intel Processor for gaming due to its high core and boost multi which is ideal for gamers who want to play games at 1080p resolution or want to play games in 4k. It has 6 cores with 6 threads which make it the fastest CPU available in the market currently.
It comes with UHD graphics 630, so you can play light games in HD resolution. It supports up to 64GB of DDR4 memory at a maximum frequency of 2666 MHz, which is good for multitasking when combined with 6 cores.
It has an L3 cache of 16MB and a TDP of 95 watts which can be easily cooled by cheaper aftermarket coolers available in the market such as Cooler Master Hyper 212X.
It supports PCIe 4.0, so it can support even faster SSDs than currently available in the market. It comes with an unlocked K series which means you can adjust it up to 5.3 GHz for fast performance in games without overclocking the system.
This processor comes with HD audio support, Intel software guard extensions which can help you protect your system. It comes with 128 GB memory support and supports top RTX 3000 GPU.
- Dual-channel memory
- 200+ fps Esports gaming
- 4K @60Hz graphics results
- No embedded options
- No Transactional Synchronization Extensions
Intel Core i5-10600K

Intel’s Best Processor for Gaming
Specifications
Architecture: Comet Lake – Socket: Intel LGA1200 – Cores/Threads: 6/12 – Base Frequency: 3.7 GHz – Top Boost Frequency: 4.1 GHz – TDP: 125W
Intel Core i5-10600K is the best Intel processor for gaming due to its high core and boosts multi. It is ideal for gamers who want to play games at 1080p resolution.
It comes with 6 graphics cores which provide the best gaming performance available in the market currently, so it is good for people who want to play light games or esports games at 1080p resolutions.
It comes with a 4 GHz base frequency and 4.3 GHz boost frequency with a TDP of 65 watts. It has an L3 cache of 9 MB which can be easily cooled by cheaper aftermarket coolers available in the market such as Cooler Master Hyper 212X.
It has 128 GB memory support and supports top RTX 3000 GPU. It comes with HD audio support, Intel software guard extensions that can help you protect your system.
This processor is the best choice for people who want to play games at 1080p resolution or want to play games in 4k. But it is not suitable for people who want to play games in 1440p resolution, because its base clock speed of 3.7 GHz is lower than its competitors.
- Overclocking headspace
- Intel Software Guard Extensions
- Thermal Monitoring Technologies
- No PCIe 4.0 support
- 240mm above liquid radiator required
Intel Core i7 9700K

Best Mid-Price Intel Processor for Gaming
Specifications
Architecture: Coffee lake – Socket: Intel LGA1151 – Cores/Threads: 8/8 – Base Frequency: 3.6 GHz – Top Boost Frequency: 4.9 GHz – TDP: 95W
Intel Core i7 9700K is the best Intel CPU for gaming due to its high core and boost multi. It has 8 cores and 8 threads which make it the best CPU for gamers who want to play games at 1440p resolution or 4k.
It comes with UHD graphics 630 and an unlocked multiplier, so you can overclock it up to 5GHz for extra performance in games without overclocking your system. This processor has a base frequency of 3.6 GHz and a boost frequency of 4.9 GHz with a TDP of 95 watts.
It comes with an L3 cache of 12MB which can be easily cooled by cheaper aftermarket coolers such as Cooler Master Hyper 212X. It has 128 GB support and supports top RTX 3000 GPU.
This processor is the best choice for people who want to play games at 1440p resolution or 4k. But, it has a TDP of 95 watts which can be an issue because if you buy aftermarket coolers to overclock the processor upto 5 GHz, then you need a good cooling system to cool your system. If your cooling system cannot handle the heat generated by overclocking, then this processor may become unstable.
- Identity Protection Technology
- Stable Image Platform Program (SIPP)
- Transactional Synchronization Extensions
- Older Turbo Boost technology
- No Hyper-Threading Technology
Intel Core i9 9900K

Best Mid-Range Intel Processor for Gaming
Specifications
Architecture: Coffee Lake – Socket: Intel LGA1151 – Cores/Threads: 8/16 – Base Frequency: 3.6 GHz – Top Boost Frequency: 5.0 GHz – TDP: 95W
Intel Core i9 9900K is the best Intel CPU for gaming due to its high core and boosts multi. It has 8 cores 16 threads which make it best for gamers who want to play games at 1440p resolution or 4k.
It comes with UHD graphics 630 and an unlocked multiplier, so you can overclock it up to 5GHz for extra performance in games without overclocking your system. This processor has a base frequency of 3.6 GHz and a boost frequency of 5 GHz with a TDP of 95 watts.
It comes with an L3 cache of 16MB which can be easily cooled by cheaper aftermarket coolers available in the market such as Cooler Master Hyper 212X. It has 128 GB support and supports top RTX 3000 GPU.
This processor is the best choice for people who want to play games at 1440p resolution or 4k. But, it has a TDP of 95 watts which can be an issue because if you buy aftermarket coolers to overclock the processor up to 5 GHz, then you need a good cooling system to cool your system. If your cooling system cannot handle the heat generated by overclocking, then this processor may become unstable.
- Execute Disable Bit security
- Intel vPro Platform Eligibility
- Featured AI-based overclocking
- No support for 8K graphics
- No demand-based switching technology
Conclusion for Intel Processors for Gaming
For gamers, Intel Core i9-11900K is the best choice. For people who want to play games at 1440p or 1080p, Intel Core i5 9400F is the best choice. People who want to play games at 4k resolution should go with Intel Core i7 9700K.
This article is not for people who are planning to upgrade their hardware in the future, because it won’t have any impact on them. Since this article concerns upgrading your PC’s CPU only.
Intel processors are best for gaming due to their high core and boost multi which gives you extra performance without overclocking your system. Intel core i9-9900K is the best Intel core for gaming due to high core and boost multi. It comes with an unlocked multiplier, so you can overclock it up to 5GHz. But, it has a TDP of 95 watts which can be an issue because if you buy aftermarket coolers to overclock the processor upto 5 GHz, then you need a good cooling system to cool your system. If your cooling system cannot handle the heat generated by overclocking, then this processor may become unstable.
Intel Core i7 9700K is the best Intel core for gaming due to its high cores and boost multi which gives you extra performance without overclocking your system. It comes with an unlocked multiplier so you can overclock it upto 5GHz for extra performance in games without overclocking your system. This processor has a base frequency of 3.7 GHz and a boost frequency of 4.9 GHz with a TDP of 95 watts. It comes with an L3 cache of 12MB which can be easily cooled by cheaper aftermarket coolers available in the market such as Cooler Master Hyper 212X. It has 128 GB support and supports top RTX 3000 GPU.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is i5 good for gaming?
Yes, the Intel Core i5-10600K is a fine example; it’s the best GPU on the market with a LGA1200 socket that allows for inexpensive upgrading and over 200 frames per second in many demanding esports games. 6 cores and 12 threads make it an excellent alternative for multi-core dependent titles like PUBG, Call of.
Is Intel Processor for Gaming Still Better?
Esports gaming has always been a strong suit for Intel, owing to its low limiterization. The Intel Core i9 9900K processor is still accessible. Games like Valorant, Assassins Creed, and Metro Exodus still do not utilize the processor effectively. 200+fps gaming is still attainable; despite being a PCIe 3.0 CPU with
What kind of processor is ideal for gaming?
Any multi-core processor with AI-enhanced frequency boost technology is appropriate for gaming. It’s a future-proof chip with Intel Core i9-11900K components, as well as all of the latest technology. It’s the greatest Intel CPU with PCIe 4.0 support and Intel Iris Xe for demanding high-end software on Intel
What is the best gaming processor in 2020?
The Intel Core i5-11600K is the greatest gaming processor for 2021. It’s too powerful for most games but does not restrict the use of contemporary GPUs. Its overclocking potential and capability to utilize PCIe 4.0 storage devices and GPUs make it a great choice for gamers who wish to stream their gameplay. This CPU’s low price/